How to Clean Shellac Records Properly: Keeping Grandpa's Treasures in Good Shape

Shellac records cannot handle cleaning products that contain alcohol. If you keep that in mind and work gently with distilled water, you can safely remove dust and dirt from old 78s.

Whether they come from the attic, an inheritance or a flea market, shellac records are making a small comeback. These heavy discs, played at 78 revolutions per minute, were made from about 1895 until the end of the 1950s (in some regions until the late 1960s). Many have spent decades in basements and boxes, so they are often quite dirty.

The problem: shellac is a natural resin mixed with mineral powder and soot. The material is brittle and sensitive, and it behaves very differently from vinyl. Many tips that work for modern records can permanently damage a shellac record. This guide shows what really matters.

Shellac or Vinyl? How to Tell the Difference

Not every old record is made of shellac. From the late 1940s onwards, some 78s were also made of vinyl. These features help you tell them apart:

Be careful with so-called lacquer discs or instantaneous recordings. These were often recorded privately and have a thin lacquer coating on metal, glass or cardboard. They are extremely fragile and should only be wet-cleaned by experts.

The Most Important Rule: No Alcohol

Alcohol dissolves shellac. That is exactly why shellac used to be dissolved in spirits to make furniture polish. On a record, this means the groove walls get damaged, the surface turns dull, and the surface noise increases for good.

The tricky part: many standard record cleaners for vinyl contain isopropyl alcohol. Glass cleaner, lens wipes and disinfectants are also off-limits. Always check the ingredients, or use a product that is clearly approved for shellac.

Strong alkaline products such as ammonia are also unsuitable, as is water warmer than body temperature. Heat softens the material and can warp the record.

Dry Cleaning: Removing Dust Gently

For records that are only a little dusty, dry cleaning is often enough. It also makes sense before every play.

• Suitable tools: a soft record brush made of carbon fibre or goat hair, or a velvet pad.
• Direction: Always brush in a circle along the grooves, never across them.
• Pressure: Apply only light pressure. The brush should pick up the dust, not push it into the groove.
• Finish: At the end, slowly pull the brush sideways off the record so the dust doesn't stay behind.

Greasy fingerprints, mould stains or stubborn dirt cannot be removed with a dry brush. In that case, you need to clean the record with water.

Wet Cleaning Step by Step

With distilled water, a drop of mild wetting agent and some patience, even a very dirty record will come clean. Test the method on a less valuable record first.

What you need: distilled water (room temperature to lukewarm), a mild wetting agent without alcohol (for example a photo wetting agent or a special shellac cleaner), a soft brush, a lint-free microfibre cloth, a label protector or two plastic lids the size of the label, and a drying rack.

1. Check the record: Are there cracks, hairline cracks or flaking spots? If so, do not wet-clean it, because water can get into the cracks.
2. Protect the label: The paper labels must not get wet. A label protector from a specialist shop covers both sides.
3. Mix the solution: Mix about 1 litre of distilled water with a few drops of wetting agent. More agent does not clean better; it only leaves residue.
4. Apply and brush: Apply the solution with the brush and work in circles along the grooves. Let it sit briefly, but do not soak the record.
5. Rinse thoroughly: Rinse with pure distilled water until all traces of the wetting agent are gone.
6. Dry: Carefully wipe off the water with the microfibre cloth along the grooves. Then let the record air-dry completely, standing upright in the rack. Do not use a hair dryer and keep it out of the sun.
7. Repack: Only put the record into a fresh inner sleeve once it is completely dry.

Record Cleaning Machines and Ultrasonic Cleaners: What Works for Shellac?

Record cleaning machines with vacuum suction work well for shellac, as long as you use an alcohol-free cleaning fluid. Check beforehand that the platter and suction arm fit 10-inch and 12-inch (25 and 30 cm) records. If the machine has been used with an alcohol-based fluid for vinyl, rinse it thoroughly first.

Collectors disagree about ultrasonic cleaners. The vibrations can widen existing hairline cracks, and the water bath warms up during use. If you still want to try it, use only undamaged records, short cycles, cold water and no alcohol. For valuable one-of-a-kind records, cleaning by hand is the safer choice.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Most damage is caused by home remedies that work for vinyl or are recommended online. This overview shows what you should avoid:

Playing the record also carries risks: a shellac record needs a proper stylus for 78s. A normal vinyl stylus is too fine, sits too deep in the groove and sounds poor.

Storing Records Properly After Cleaning

A clean record only stays clean if it is stored correctly.

• New inner sleeves: Replace old, dirty paper sleeves. Acid-free paper or anti-static sleeves are ideal.
• Store upright: Keep records standing up, close together but without pressure. Tall stacks of records lying flat put strain on the ones at the bottom.
• Climate: Cool, dry and stable – about 15 to 20 °C (59 to 68 °F) with 40 to 50 percent humidity. Attics and damp basements are not suitable.
• No sunlight: Heat and UV light damage both the record and the label.
• Handle with care: Only touch records by the edge and the label, never on the grooved surface.

Conclusion

Cleaning shellac records is not rocket science, but it does take care. If you avoid alcohol and heat, work with distilled water and protect the labels, you can't go far wrong. That way, recordings from Grandpa's day can still sound surprisingly lively after 80 or 100 years. For especially valuable or damaged records, it's worth visiting a specialist dealer or restorer.